CANNIBALISM.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 160, 8 July 1899, Page 3 (Supplement)

CANNIBALISM.

GRUESOME TALE FROM CENTRAL AFRICA.

The practice of body-snatching from the cemeteries is frequently resorted to in the Bangala country, where the inhabitants are habitual cannibals. As a consequence, Leopoldvllle, the chief station on the Upper Congo, Is obliged to keep a regular guard at the cemetery, as the Bangala, against whom several cases of body-snatching have been proved, are constantly coming and going. This practice became at one time so common that nothing short of capital punishment had any effect in putting a stop to it. The Bangala, besides feasting on the bodies of those slain in battle, are also in the habit of killing men for food. Their method of preparation is a cruel oue, but it is curious, and one Is inclined to think there must be some hidden origin and history behind It. The prisoner or slave who is-to grace the feast is not killed outright. Three days beforehand his limbs are broken, after which he is placed chin deep In a pool of water, his head being fastened to a log so that he may not be drowned. On the third day HE IS TAKEN OUT AND KILLED. This process is supposed to make his flesh more tender, but it is difficult to see how the Bangala can have arrived at this conclusion. Mr S. L. Hinde tells the following story, which will serve to illustrate the man-eating propensities of the Bangala:—: "When I was returning from Stanley Falls on my homeward journey six of the crew were in Irons on board ship, whom the captain delivered up to justice at Bangala for having oaten two of their number during the voyage up the falls. I was not at the trial, but the captain told me two of the crow had fallen ill on the upward voyage, and had been allowed to rest for a short time. On the next ration day these two men were missing, and upon making Inquiries the captain was informed that they had died in the night and had been burled on shore. This, however, did not satisfy the captain, who had his own suspicions. He searched the ship, and discovered parts of the men, smoke-dried, and hidden away In the lockers of the six Bangala whom he was then handing over to the authorities." The ordinary native preparation of human flesh for food Is not so elaborate as that observed by the Bangalas, but Is nevertheless carried out with great care. The body is first

DECAPITATED AND CLEANED OUT,

after which it is held over an ember fire and thoroughly singed, until every trace of j hair has been removed. Then it is care. \ fully cut up into joints, and is cooked—as much as Is wanted for immediate consumption—ln large pots,'the rest being thoroughly smoke-dried over a green wood lire. But the natives will eat as much as possible while they can, for they are improvident In everything, taking no thought for tho morrow, and being Ignorant of the most' elementary principles of domestic economy. When prisoners aro taken it is very unusual to kill the women for food; though if a woman Is unable to keep up with the tribe on a march she is shown no mercy, but is killed aud cut up for food on the spot. This, bad .as It is, may be kinder than leaving her to die slowly of starvation in the bush or to become the prey of wild animals that Infest the forest; aud the blacks never encumber themselves' with sick or lame on their march. It Is the same on man-hunt-ing expeditions among tribes that hunt men for food. The women are not sought after at such times, but 1 have no doubt that If n woman were shot by accident she would be presently devoured. THE HEADS OF THOSE KILLED for food are rejected, but the teeth are extracted and serve to make ornaments, such as necklaces and armbands, which are worn by the women. The hair, too, when it is not the thick wool of the negro, is used for plaiting Into ornamental strips. Very often the skin is removed from the body of the victim, and Is made Into drumheads. The skulls are stuck up on posts around the villages. These Central African cannibals have not the belief which Is held by others that to eat the heart of an enemy will give them his courage, or that by eating his arms they receive his strength. While I was conducting a punitive expedition against the Mabode I saw a boy hit in the shoulder by a bullet from one of the, muzzle-loading guns that are used by the , natives, such as they receive in bartering with the traders. Looking supremely unconcerned and apathetic about the whole affair, he was carried to one side by the men nearest to him. I called the men up and told them off to take him up to the camp where the other wounded were lying. They objected that he was only a boy and it did not matter. I rated them for ! their' insubordination, and saw my orders carried through. But for some time afterwards the men continued to grumble, saying I might just as well let them have the boy for killing when the ..work of the fight was done. The boy recovered* and remained with me for a considerable time; but the two men, as well as many of the others who had heard of the circumstances, were highly disgusted with me, and laboured long under a sense of having been

THE VICTIMS OF GROSS INJUSTICE

I saw another side of cannibalism during the same campaign. I was sitting outside my tent in the cool of the evening, after camp had been pitched, watching the men get their food ready. The day's work had been a hard one, and a good many on both sides ,had been left dead on the scene of the fight; there were also a large number of wounded, and fewer men to get through the camp fatigue-work, so we were not clear 'until nearly dark. Presently in the deepening gloom a man passed me, with a packet oh his shoulders, neatly done up in banana leaves. I asked him what he was carrying. "Food," he said; "food for the men." I asked what food it was, and he replied that it was banana food. As a matter of fact he and several other men were going continually to and fro from the scene of the fight, cutting up the bodies and bringing them down in small parcels so as not to attract ply notice as they passed my tent. In reality most of them are ashamed of being cannibals, and are much confused if interrupted in THEIR GRUESOME WORK. Nearly always after a fight, when they have cut up the fallen and are bringing the flesh, they will carefully conceal their tracks, so that if you wish to pass through in the same direction they will pretend to tell you of a much better way. "This is a bad path, infested with snakes and wild beasts. It is quite dangerous, and you must cross a wide river, etc. But over there, there is a fine, clear, easy path," and no on. But they will never let you pass the i^lace Where they are cutting up the bodies, if they can possibly prevent you by guile or force.. The Bateke tribe, whose home is in the neighbourhood of Stanley Pool, arc rot as a rule to be considered cannibals; but the allied tribes, the Apforu and ihe Bateke of the French Congo, follow this practice to a certain degree, as do a section of the Balolo, whose dwelling is on the banks of

the Ruki River and among thr'S .vamps of Malinga. Other branches. i> ? th. _ame tribe show no signs of It, aud leny'.ill connection with the custom. The, whole yiiestlon Is wrapped In mystery, but rhe authorities I have quoted and my own persoaal observations practically cover all that is known of. this matter iv Central Africa.—"Glasgow Herald."